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Grandpa Harold Ennis went to school here

Thanks to Stewart Ennis who sent me these amazing photos of Mussoorie in Northern India where my Grandfather, Stewards Dad, Harold (“Pete”) Ennis went to school in the 1920’s.

Stewart visited Mussoorierecently, and tells me he had a great time imagining Pete at school in this mountainous area, where the classrooms have been pretty much unchanged in over 80 years. Stewart thinks if he looked hard enough he might even have found Grandpa’s name carved in a desk somewhere.

Horses and carts are still used for transport, and the red-coated porters, Victorian balustrades, bandstand and promenade are just as they would have been in the 1920’s when Grandpa was there.

If you look closely, you can see “H.Ennis” on the Roll of Honour at the school.

Pauline Tranfield was my great grandmother – my father’s father’s mother. She lived with my Grandparents (Harold “Pete” Ennis and Anna Ennis) until her death in 1963.

My grandfather says his father was known as “Tommy” and sported a long beard which earned him the nickname “W.G.” after cricketer W.G.Grace. He says that when Pauline first met him, she thought he was an old man on account of his beard, and took pity on him – even though he was only 22 years old at the time.

I’ve visited Pauline’s gravesite in Elderslie cemetery. She’s buried next to Grandpa “Pete”, but I think Tommy was buried in India.

So I suppose that makes us second cousins once removed 🙂

While I have pictures of Tommy, I don’t have any pictures of Pauline. Do you?

My records show that Pauline (daughter of Isaac and Kitty) had three brothers – Charles, Thomas and Theodore and four sisters, Esther, Ellen, Maud and Kathlene. Does that sound right to you?

Neil, I am a researcher of Anglo Indian life of the Indian Railway town of Asansol.What I understand that your grandfather worked for the EIR around 1930 and was born in asansol, baptized at the Sacred Heart Church in 1911. Do you have anything regarding your father’s life ie reminiscent that you would like to share. Best Wishes Roshni

Neil, I am a researcher of Anglo Indian life of the Indian Railway town of Asansol.What I understand that your grandfather worked for the EIR around 1930 and was born in asansol, baptized at the Sacred Heart Church in 1911. Do you have anything regarding your grandfather’s life ie reminiscent of Asansol that you would like to share. Best Wishes Roshni

Hi Neil I’ve just found your reply, so sorry about the huge delay in thanking you for replying. I havent any photo’s of anyone in the Tranfield family. My story of my grandfather Charles Edward Tranfield was shrouded in mystery until I delved into it. I do have the family tree and yes the siblings are all correct, I have charles death certificate, he actually died in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, uk in 1950. Tricia